Blood pressure cuff



June 6, 1939.. v TYE I 2,161,393

BLOOD PRESSURE CUFF Filed Sept. l9, 1938 VIII,

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Patented June 6, 1939 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,161,393 I BLoon PRESSURE CUFF James P. Tye, Albany, Ga. Application September 19,1938, Serial No. 230,698

4 Claims.

:1!) a second tube connected with an air pump (rubl5 previous convolution. The air bag is then infiated to provide the necessary pressure on the arteries to give the required readings of the instrument, after which the physician (or nurse) releases the tucked-under end of the cuff and g unwinds it from the patients limb. He usually rolls the cuff into a small bundle and replaces it in a case in which the whole instrument is carried. The cuff now, in common use, just referred to, often gets stringy, particularly when used on large arms. I

'My invention, therefore, has for its object to provide a cufl which will retain its shape (i. e., not stretch out of shape and become stringy) and will also automatically unroll itself from the patients limbinto; a small bundle which can bereadily carried in the instrument case.

Generically, my new and improved cuff comprisesthree portions arranged end to end in a unitary structure, one end portion comprising a pocket for the inflatable bag, the other end portion comprising a narrow tongue to facilitate turning it under to hold the cuff against loosening under inflation stresses, andthe middle por- 40 tion comprising a reinforced main body having 50 novel details of construction, combination and arrangement of parts, an of which will be first fully described in the following detailed description and then be particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the e5 accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view (parts being broken away) of my'new and improved cuff opened up, by pulling in opposite-directions on the tongues 9 and II.

'Fig. 2 is an enlarged detail plan view (parts 5 broken away) to show more clearly the main or middle portion of the cuff. I

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail longitudinal section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

- Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail cross section on the line 44 of Fig. 2.

I Fig. 5 isan enlarged detail section on the line 5--5 of Fig; 2.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing how the cuff, when released, automatically rolls up.

In the drawing, in which like numerals and letters of reference indicatelike parts throughout, I is the larger end of the cuff which is made as a pocket to contain the inflatable bag I3, the pocket I having side openings 2 and 3 respectively for the tubes 4 and 5, one of which goes to the usual pump (not shown) and the other of which goes to the usual indicating instrument (not shown). The portion I of the cuff is preferably of the same width throughout its length and formed (as is also the middle portion I0 and the tongue II) by folding over the piece of fabric C and sewing it together along the free longitudinal edge by a suitable seam 6. The outer end is closed in part by stitches 8, the material being turned in and sewn by stitches I.

The tongue portion I I and the middle portion I0 have the longitudinal edge sewn together by a concealed line of stitches C". Other methods of sewing the doubled-over cloth C, which forms the cuff, may be employed as desired.

The middle portion I0 tapers from the end portion I to the tongue II and is reinforced by a strip of fabric I4 into which is woven a set of flat coil springs I6 which pass through slits I5 in the strip I4 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The springs I6 are secured to the strip I4 by suitable means, as for example by staples ll. The strip I4 is sewed in place by rows of stitches I8 passing through the cloth C and strip I 4; as shown by the arrows a in Figs. 1 and 6, the natural tendency of the springs is to roll up the cuff in the direction indicated.

The outer end of the portion I is provided with an edge opening the width of the tongue 9, through which opening the inflatable bag I3 may be inserted or removed. When the cuff is in place on the arm, the tongue 9 is tucked into the pocket over the adjacent edge of the bag I3 and prevents it from blowing out of the hole (see dotted lines, Fig. 6). I

In applying the cuif, the portion l is placed on the arm and the remainder of the cuff wound' around the arm in the direction of the arrow 1) in Fig. 1, i. e., in a direction opposite that in which the springs l6 function, with the tongue ll tucked under at the end of the wind. When tongue H is released, springs l6 will at once wind up the intermediate part (see Fig. 6.) with tongue ll inside, and thus automatically unwind the cuff from the patient's arm. Then, by simply folding portion I around the roll in Fig. 6 the cuff will be ready for storing in a small space. My cuff can be applied more quickly and more perfectly to, and removed more easily and quickly from the patients arm than can the old-style cuff.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is thought that the construction, method of use and advantages of the invention will be clear to those skilled in the art and'I wish it understood that,

while I have shown a preferred embodiment of the i-nventionone that has been in successful use for some timechanges in the details of construction can readily be made by those familiar with the art, without departing from the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

'1. A blood pressure cuff comprising two end portions and an intermediate portion, one end portion constituting a pocket and the other end automatically.

2. A blood pressure cuff comprising two end portions and an intermediate portion, one end portion constituting a pocket and the other end portion constituting a tongue, combined with means continuously tending to roll up the cufi, said means comprising ribbon springs secured within and extending longitudinally of the cuff, means to anchor the springs with said intermediate portion, said anchoring means comprising 'a strip of flexible material into which the springs are laced, and means for attaching said springs to said strip.

3. A blood pressure cuff comprising two end portions and an intermediate portion, one end portion constituting a pocket and the other end portion constituting a tongue, and means for flexibly reinforcing said intermediate section and continuously tendingvto roll up the same.

4. A blood pressurecuff; comprising an elongated bandage having a pocket at one end'to receive an inflatablebagand having a tongue at the other end, combined with means disposed in the bandage between said pocket and said tongue continuously tending, when released after the cuff has been wound on a patients limb in a predetermined Way, to release the cuff from the limb and in doing so to assume the form of a roll. 1

JAMES, P. TYE.- 

